Venue News: Comic-Con Inks Deal with SDCC, Loop Station Opens at Westgate Las Vegas
February 3, 2025
The city of San Diego recently heralded the extended residency of an iconic pop-culture event while a meetings resort in Las Vegas is celebrating a new state-of-the-art transportation option benefitting leisure and business guests alike.
Comic-Con International Will Continue to Call San Diego Home Through 2027
Comic-Con International signed a new agreement to remain in its long-time home of San Diego through 2027. Attracting more than 135,000 attendees from across the globe as well as extensive national and international media coverage, the four-day B2C event has taken place in San Diego for more than 50 years.
“Comic-Con is part of San Diego’s identity, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that it will remain here through 2027,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “This event is not just a celebration of creativity and fandom–it’s a major economic driver for our city, supporting local businesses and showcasing San Diego on a global stage. We’re proud to continue this incredible partnership and look forward to welcoming fans from all over the world.”
Since the 1970s, the pop-culture event has grown from a small gathering into one of the most anticipated annual events in the entertainment industry. It features a full program of speakers, exhibits, films, and games that fill the entire San Diego Convention Center, as well as activities at hotels, the San Diego Public Library, and the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park.
“Comic-Con is the most famous convention in the world and the largest event we host at the San Diego Convention Center–we never take it for granted,” said Rip Rippetoe, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center. “We appreciate the Comic-Con team and all our partners who contribute to a successful event year after year.”
Hosting an event of this size and scope depends on collaboration across the region, including coordination with the convention center, San Diego Tourism Authority, city leadership, and the regional hospitality community, he added.
“We are excited to stay in San Diego for the next few years, which is made possible, in large part, to the many hotels who offer competitive rates and meeting space,” said Comic-Con spokesperson David Glanzer. “It is vitally important to maintain affordable hotel rates for the tens of thousands who visit San Diego for Comic-Con each summer and, while it came down to the wire, we are grateful for the additional hotels that came on board to allow for this agreement to be signed.”
In 2024, Comic-Con generated an estimated regional impact of more than $160 million and more than $3 million in hotel and sales tax revenues for the City of San Diego.
“San Diego and Comic-Con are a shining example of what can be achieved when our tourism community works together,” said Shawn Dixon, board chair of the San Diego Tourism Authority. “We thank the Comic-Con International team for their hard work and commitment to ensure Comic-Con remains a San Diego institution.”
Comic-Con International 2025 is set to take place July 24-27.
Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Gets Its Own Vegas Loop Station
On January 22, Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino celebrated the official opening of the Vegas Loop – Westgate Station, providing riders with a fast and convenient way to move to and from key locations in and around the Las Vegas Strip via a one-of-a-kind express-route transportation system.
Conveniently located at Westgate’s porte-cochere, the latest Vegas Loop station is part of the more than $52 million underground tunnel transportation system being built by Elon Musk’s Boring Company that carries passengers in high-speed autonomous electric vehicles. Designed to reduce road congestion in the city’s resort corridor and beyond, the system is expected to feature 68 miles of tunnel and more than 100 stations, with the capacity to transport more than 90,000 passengers per hour, once it’s fully developed.
“The Vegas Loop is a transformative project for Las Vegas, enhancing connectivity and improving the visitor experience,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “We’re proud to see the Westgate Station open as a vital link in this system.”
Currently connected to stations at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and Resorts World Las Vegas, the new Westgate Station will integrate with future Vegas Loop expansions, including connections to Harry Reid International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, and the Las Vegas Strip.
In April 2021, the system came online with the opening of the first Loop station at the LVCC as part of the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, designed to connect multiple stations with the convention center campus.
“The addition of the Vegas Loop at Westgate demonstrates our commitment to innovation and convenience,” said Cami Christensen, president and general manager, Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. “We’re thrilled to partner with LVCVA and The Boring Company to provide this cutting-edge transportation option for our guests and the Las Vegas community. Additionally, with both the Monorail and the Vegas Loop, Westgate is the most connected resort in Las Vegas.”
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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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